BEST CLASS AT UCLA! Professor Johnson is the best. I highly recommend!

I took Dr. Johnson’s Negotiation course in Winter 2021 when it was online. The course consisted of weekly negotiations for participation, case summaries based on in-class debriefs and the textbook, an article summary, and a final capstone exercise. The class met once a week, and during each class, we would be assigned a random partner to act out a negotiation with different instructions and then debrief altogether afterwards. It was very intimidating at first because there were some realtors and lawyers in our class. Fortunately, I was paired with people who were at the same negotiation-skill level as me, so I had a good experience. It was definitely a unique, low-risk environment to practice these skills, and my favorite case was the one where I was a movie director trying to meet my targets. The case summaries were not too difficult to complete, but you want to make sure you are being clear in the way you integrate concepts from the textbook and class. For the article summary assignment given at the end of class, Dr. Johnson gave us articles to select and write about. It was not too difficult because the article I chose was interesting to me. The final capstone exercise was a little more work because I had to meet with my group and develop a negotiation strategy and plan outside of class time. We also had to find time with the other negotiation group outside of class to act out our negotiation. In addition, our TA, Jessica Shropshire, was also very available and helpful. Overall, Negotiation is one of the most practical classes you can take here at UCLA (it is similar to a graduate level MBA negotiation course), and Dr. Johnson is a very personable instructor that truly cares about what her undergraduate students are taking away from her teachings.

TAKE THIS CLASS. Seriously. This class is so applicable simply based on the fact we are all humans and use negotiation skills almost daily subconsciously. The setup of the class is once a week for three hours. Usually, Prof. Johnson will prep the week's case a little, show us assignments with other members of the class we will be negotiating against/with, and then everyone reads their "role assignment." You literally get a piece of paper that says "you are now an Oscar-nominated director entering negotiation for a new feature... you want X actor to play the lead and Y artistic director and Z amount of artistic control," might be nerdy but I found it super cool to get to flex our "acting" skills a little and take on different personas every week (and people take them super seriously it's very entertaining). Then you get put into a breakout room and negotiate with classmates for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Sometimes it's huge groups, mostly it's you in a breakout room with one other person and an hour to get a deal. Both intimidating and engaging. This class is 100% based on your willingness to participate, and the fact that the entire class is putting themselves out there and just trying to learn how to negotiate in a safe, classroom setting really made for a great experience. By the end, I had made a lot of acquaintances/even friends in the class (and you work with different people out of the 50 every week which really gets you to meet people). Grade wise - you have to turn in 5 case summaries (out of 8 total cases, you can pick which ones) basically just describing what you learned and incorporating some textbook concepts (textbook is super helpful, VERY straightforward). I'm pretty sure everyone got 100 on these for just turning them in - just put some effort in and you will be fine (for reference, I only spent 1-2 hours doing hw for this class until the last few weeks when we were doing a project). The final few weeks you're working on a "capstone" negotiation with a larger group. While I found it annoying to coordinate group work outside of class, I actually really enjoyed getting to plan strategy and prep for negotiations and then execute them with a team (and we ended up having some great banter). We had to do a final write-up as a group, super straightforward and simple (and this was the final). There is also an article summary where you basically take some research about negotiation and comment on it. I actually found this assignment awesome (and super easy, 4 pages double spaced, lots of 'what were the methods' and 'do you think the research is valid') - I read an article about how women are perceived as easier to lie to at negotiation tables which leads them to worse deals. Depressing, but super interesting. Prof Johnson is engaging, clearly intelligent and qualified, and a GREAT professor for this course. She skillfully articulated a lot of the negotiation basics and understands how to frame the classroom to be a very safe and useful learning environment. She knows what she is doing! She also mailed me (and our entire 50 person class!) a HAND WRITTEN postcard in the middle of the quarter thanking me for my enthusiasm and participation in our online world. I thought that was really sweet. I know I've rambled here - but the best part about this class is that it will push you. It is not a challenge academically, it is a challenge because for a lot of students (including myself) you are forced to be direct and confrontational and try a new skill you really haven't explored yet. I felt really anxious a few times with some imposter syndrome, worried the entire class was pro-negotiators and I was a blatant amateur, but I was proven so wrong. It was a total community learning experience and really allowed me to progress in negotiation settings, but also just more generally as a person - which is something I really can't say for any other class I've taken.

This class seems very difficult but in reality isn't. The class is basically concerned with all sorts of scientific studies pertaining to what our bodies/motion convey to others (both lectures and readings). You will learn about each study - hypothesis, method and findings - and be tested on them.

You actually have to do the readings for this class because they will be covered on the exam. While there seems to be a lot of material, and the exams seem to be difficult, she curves very VERY generously.

I thought some of the studies that we covered in class were pretty interesting. Others were okay. She also posts her powerpoints online, which is helpful. There are three exams; you get to drop the lowest one. There is also a paper in which you summarize a scientific study.

Selling Non-Verbal Communication and Body Language book for $85!

Book used for Comm Studies 113; cover is slightly worn, but in good condition overall!

Please email ************* if interested!

Great Professor! Easily one of the most interesting classes I have taken at UCLA. There is quite a bit of reading but it is interesting. Plus there is no final other than an optional 3rd midterm if you did not do well on previous midterms. Great class! I got an A

This was my first upper div class for my major, communication studies. I was freshmen and I was really really freaking out when I saw the amount of readings and their levels of difficulty. However, the class itself is really interesting! Also, she is really helpful if you go to her office hour. She is very organized, so I picked up the materials easily. There are three tests and you get to drop one. There is no multiple choice question. They are hard. But,, there is a curve!! Most people got at least B- . I would highly recommend to take this class. Loved it!

For the love of God DO NOT take this course!!! This professor ruined my GPA. The class is nothing like one would think it should be. Prof. Johsnson's takes what should be a fascinating subject and incorporates her own endless series of graphs, slides, case studies, etc. etc. into the lecture and turns it into a horrible experience. The midterm and final were unbelieveably hard!!!!! STAY AWAY FROM THIS CLASS!!!!!!!

*M137B (not an option)

If you have the chance to take a class with Professor Johnson, you MUST! She gives a fantastic and interesting class. 3 exams (only 2 count!) and a paper due at the end.

There is a lot of reading, and YES it will be on the exam. But she is very available (even did a phone conversation with me because I couldn't make it to office hours) and fair in her grading.

This was a very fun class and I learned a ton! She is so passionate about her work and provides some great advice.

I had to drop this class, because I was extremely offended by Ms. Johnson's stereotypical ideas about gender roles and homosexuality. She has a biological/evolutionary point of view, as so many CS professors have these days. I thought CS was a social science??? Her class is an endless parade of slides and graphs of her own research studies. Her method of teaching is utterly confusing and unstructured, and she is not very approachable. All new CS majors must take at least one core interpersonal class, and I would recommend taking CS 114 with Suman instead. He also teaches from a biological/evolutionary view point, but at least his classes have some structure.